If You Can't Beat 'Em
by Angelus1
Summary: When did I become a typical Newport guy, cheating on his girlfriend the second something better comes along?
1. Crocodile Tears

Title: If You Can't Beat 'Em...(1/?: Crocodile Tears)  
  
Author: Angelus  
  
E-mail: angelus1317@hotmail.com (Please put "If You Can't Beat 'Em..." on the subject line.)  
  
Subject: The O.C.  
  
Category: Romance  
  
Rating: PG for some language.  
  
Summary: When did I become a typical Newport guy, cheating on his girlfriend the second something better comes along?  
  
Spoilers: "The Third Wheel".  
  
Archive: Anywhere, just ask me first.  
  
Disclaimer: Seth, Summer, Anna, Ryan, Marissa, etc. are all property of Fox television, College Hill Pictures, Josh Schwartz, etc. Sadly, the only thing benefitting from this is my brain in creating more Adam Brody fantasies.  
  
Author's notes: None, really. Just that I love this story and I'm very proud of it. Oh, and anyone who's been reading my Spuffy stories...I may never go back.  
  
Dedication: To Eliana, who invented the counting of awkward silences that starts in the next chapter.  
  
~*~  
  
"You guys could, like *totally* be related!" Summer exclaimed. Clicking off the T.V, she flounced back to her room, claiming tiredness. Seth didn't miss that Anna's hand all of the sudden left his, and she shrank away from him.  
  
"You know what?" she announced. "I'm going to go to bed, too." Without waiting for a response, she sunk down beside him, pulling the covers over her head and effectively ending all conversation. Speechless, Seth glanced helplessly from the door to the lump beside him.   
  
Why me? he thought. He'd been a good kid - he hadn't had sex, he'd only had a drink one or two times at family functions, he didn't lie or cheat or steal or swear...and yet, the dream team of God and Moses, who had always been on his side up until now, had decided that it would be endlessly amusing to, after sixteen years of no women at all, suddenly give him two at the same time. Two beautiful, smart, strong-willed women who were also, coincidentally, stubborn as hell. So he had tried to do the right thing - he had chosen. He had chosen Anna. Sweet, uncomplicated Anna. He had chosen her because she was safe, and a definite. With Summer, there would have been uncertainties and drama and the threat of bodily harm. With Anna, though, there was security. There were things that had already been established. Anna was a comfort zone.  
  
Seth had always had a problem stepping out of his comfort zone. He wasn't a risk-taker. That was probably why he had never had the courage to talk to Summer before now. Summer was wild and unpredictable, and Seth had never been that kind of person. He found the predictability quite attractive, really. So why shouldn't he have chosen Anna? It really came down to an eenie-meenie-miney-moe situation, and by that process (well, not exactly - but something along those lines), Anna had come out on top. Also, there were just a million reasons why she was a much better choice for him than Summer.  
  
Well, except for one - the reason that right now had him waiting until Anna was asleep, climbing out of the bed, and slinking down the hallway to Summer's room. He didn't actually know why he was going - he just knew that there was something, deep inside of him, that was screaming for her touch; screaming for *her*.  
  
He didn't knock; he just walked in. He knew she wasn't sleeping at 9:00. He was expecting to find her reading, or unpacking, or painting her nails.  
  
He was *not* expecting to find her crying.  
  
That, however, was exactly what he found. She was lying face-down on the bed, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. Seth froze. Obviously, she hadn't heard him come in. So, then, did he leave and pretend that this had never happened, or did he say something? And *what* would he say that could possibly comfort her, preferable without incurring one of her infamous rage blackouts? But he *couldn't* just leave. He would never forgive himself.  
  
"Summer?" he asked tentatively. Summer leapt up.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked hotly, her fingers hastily wiping away her tears, smearing her mascara in the process. Seth bit back laughter. If Summer had been completely herself right now, she would have had a spasm had she known what she looked like. But she wasn't. And that, he sensed, was why he was here.  
  
"I...don't know. Why I'm here. But I am, and...What's going on?" Summer strode over to him, and Seth flinched on reflex, having a slight panic moment where he thought she might hit him. But instead, she went right past him and grabbed the door, holding it open. At his blank look, she gestured out into the hallway; she wanted him to leave.  
  
"Summer..."  
  
"Out, Cohen. *Now*. I mean it." She didn't wait for him to leave; she simply collapsed back onto the bed in the same position she'd been in when he entered.  
  
Seth was a mess of conflicting emotions. Because, although he was technically supposed to be exclusively loyal to Anna - a part of the girlfriend/boyfriend agreement he had never quite understood - he desperately wanted to stay right her with Summer. He had this funny feeling he knew why she was crying, and if he was right - if it was over him and Anna - he felt like complete shit. This was feisty, stubborn Summer Roberts; Summer Roberts who was never weak or vulnerable, and the thought that he could be the cause of it made him sick to his stomach. He had to do *something*.  
  
So he shut the door softly behind him and crawled into the bed next to her. He had half-expected her to lash out at his touch, but she didn't; she just let him wrap his arms around her and hold her. God, she needed this. When was the last time she had actually allowed someone to comfort her? Inhaling deeply, Summer buried her face in Seth's shoulder. Where the hell was this going to leave them? How was she supposed to tell him that she was crying because the first boy to ever not be interested in her was the only one she had ever really wanted? And that that guy was *him*, Seth Cohen, school nerd, whom she had been giving crap to since practically infancy?  
  
So, she didn't. That had always been Summer's unofficial life motto - ignore your problems, and hopefully they'll go away. It hadn't worked all that well in the past, but every once and awhile it surprised her. Like right now, when words would just ruin it. She snuggled against Seth, and the tears began to subside, and she didn't worry about tomorrow. She just concentrated on how safe she felt right here, right now. 


	2. Morning After Madness

If You Can't Beat 'Em...(2/?: Morning After Madness)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Seth shifted uncomfortably. Sometime in the night, Anna must have rolled over, because her tiny body, as little as it weighed, was doing an excellent job of cutting off the circulation to his arm. He turned, ready to poke her and tell her (albeit in the kind, gentlemanly boyfriend way) to move over.  
  
Long dark hair, perma-tanned skin...  
  
Oh, crap.  
  
It wasn't Anna next to him; it was Summer. All of the sudden the previous night came rushing back. He had meant to lie with her until she fell asleep, kiss her on the forehead, and sneak back to Anna. He had never meant for himself to fall asleep as well. How the hell was he going to explain this?  
  
First things first. Seth shook Summer gently. In response, she rolled over to face him, her eyes still closed, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.  
  
"Summer..." She must not have realized exactly who she was embracing, because at the sound of Seth's voice, her eyes flew wide open.  
  
"What the..." she began, checking their surroundings, and a light of recognition went on in her eyes. She remembered. "What time is it?" she asked. Seth made an angry grunt.  
  
"Almost seven," he said.  
  
"Oh, crap." This was what he loved about Summer - he never had to explain himself. Whether they were fighting or not, she always knew exactly what he was thinking. They complemented each other that way - a way that, he had to admit, he and Anna did not.  
  
Summer was dressed in minutes. She tossed Seth the robe he had left on a chair last night. He slid it on as they silently faced the closed door. Giving each other a look that voiced a "Ready?" without even having to say it, Seth pulled it open and made a wide, sweeping gesture with his arm; a parody of her own similar one last night; "After you." So she proceeded him down the hallway. Off they went to face the masses.  
  
In the kitchen, Ryan and Marissa sat silently at the large table, a coffee in each of their hands. Clearly, something had happened last night, because they barely even looked at each other. If Seth had been willing to place a bet on what the fight had been about, his money would have easily been on Oliver. But Ryan's girl problems weren't really his concern the way they used to be - he had plenty of his own to deal with these days. He and Summer exchanged a nervous glance as they poured themselves their own mugs of coffee and took a seat, next to Ryan and Marissa, respectively.  
  
Awkward silence number one...  
  
Seth sent a surrepitious glance Summer's way. She steadfastedly ignored him. Ryan did not look to be in the talking mood either. But Seth was Seth, after all, and silence had never been one of his strong points.  
  
"So...has anyone seen Anna this morning?" he asked casually. Marissa shot him a look.  
  
"You're the one rooming with her. Shouldn't you know that?" she asked, then looked over at Summer. Marissa was a smart girl - she had seen them come downstairs together. Damn.  
  
"Yes, well..." Seth trailed off, not ever bothering to respond. He didn't really think either of them cared at this point, anyway. Ryan folded his arms in front of him and dropped his head.  
  
Awkward silence number two...  
  
"Hey, guys!" It was Anna, bright and bubbly at 7 a.m. in a manner that was just plain inhuman, rounding the corner into the kitchen. Seth forced a smile.  
  
"Hey," he said. Anna plopped herself in Seth's lap, stealing a sip of his coffee. Oblivious to Seth's nervousness, Summer's glares, and Ryan and Marissa's silent treatment, she launched into a monologue of possibilities for the day's activities. Seth, however, was on too much of an adrenaline rush to pay attention. They'd gotten away with it. Not that he should be proud or anything. And, really, he hadn't even technically cheated. But he knew Anna, and he knew that when it came to Summer, logic often went the way of the caveman, only to be replaced with what Seth considered to be the worst female emotion: jealousy. Jealousy made girls do crazy, stupid things. Like stay up half the night crying, then curl up in the arms of the very guy they'd been crying over and sleep the night next to them. Truly, he would never understand the fairer sex.  
  
"...sailing," Anna was saying. "Do you suppose they have someplace around here to rent boats?"  
  
"Anna, it's California," Seth teased. "Of course they have a boat rental." Now was the time to convince his girlfriend that he was just as loyal as ever. Anna leaned back against him, and his arm instinctively went around her waist.  
  
"So, whaddaya say?" she asked. Seth nodded. Anna turned to the other strangers. "Does anyone else wanna come?" she asked. Summer glared.  
  
"I get seasick," she informed them, and promptly left. A tiny part of Seth longed to follow after her, but he resisted. Every time, it got a little bit easier. Maybe he was finally getting over Summer once and for all. That was what he needed - to get over her. To devote all his time and attention to Anna and forget that he'd ever had that ridiculous little crush on Summer Roberts.  
  
Easier said than done... 


	3. Verbal Sparring

If You Can't Beat 'Em...(3/?: Verbal Sparring)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
"What is *wrong* with you?!" Seth exclaimed.  
  
"*Me*?!" Summer sputtered. "*You're* the one that gets this nasty look in your eye every time I even open my mouth!"  
  
"That's because nothing even *remotely* intelligent ever comes out of it!"  
  
"Ex*cuse* me?"  
  
Whoops. He'd gone a bit too far with that one. But dammit, the girl just pissed him off. Who the hell did she think she was?  
  
Summer Roberts, that was who. And that was good enough for her.  
  
"Sorry," he muttered. She looked away.  
  
"You should be."  
  
Awkward silence number three...  
  
They were at the Crab Shack. Marissa had come to visit Ryan - the two had made up over the whole Oliver ordeal two weeks ago, when they had all returned from Palm Springs. So of *course*, she had brought Summer along. And of *course*, Seth and Anna had been there as well. So of *course*, Summer had plopped herself down at their table, stolen a sip of Seth's drink, and taken over. If it had been anyone else, Seth might have let it go. Maybe they hadn't seen Anna's death glares. Summer, however, had *definitely* seen them. In fact, she seemed to take them as a challenge, because the angrier Anna got, the more sugary-sweet Summer became. Finally, Anna had excused herself to go use the bathroom, giving Seth a look. Seth knew what that look meant. It meant: "She'd better be gone when I come back." So far, however, he wasn't having much luck convincing her to leave. May be it had something to do with that fact that, deep down, he didn't really *want* her to. Well, if at first you don't succeed...  
  
"Maybe you should go," he suggested.  
  
"Why should *I* go?" Summer countered. Seth shot her an incredulous look.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me." The look in her eyes, however, clearly told him that she was not. "We were here first! *You're* the one who decided to butt in and cause trouble."  
  
"Explain to me how I'm 'causing trouble'. Because it seems to me like I'm just hanging out with two of my friends."  
  
"There you go with that word again."  
  
"What word?"  
  
"*Friend*," Seth sneered.  
  
"Are you implying that we're not friends?" Summer asked coldly.  
  
"Hardly! You barely even look at me for the first sixteen years of my life, then all of the sudden, you're everywhere, kissing me and making me keep it a secret. When I finally decide to move on, though, you just can't handle it, so you purposefully try to sabotage it every time you see us alone together."  
  
"Okay, first off, you're in one of the most popular hang-outs in the county. That hardly qualifies as being alone. And secondly - what if Ryan had wanted to hang out? You would have invited him to join you before he could even ask. Because he's your *friend*. How am I so different?"  
  
"Ryan," Seth pointed out, "doesn't use the word 'friend' like it's a threat. You act like I'm hurting your feelings by dating Anna."  
  
"How are you *not*?!"  
  
"*You're* the one who wanted me to choose!"  
  
"I *meant* to choose *me*!"  
  
Seth hadn't even noticed until now that with every insult exchanged, they had instinctively leaned closer, to the point where when Summer uttered the word 'me', their lips brushed. His eyes widened, then closed.  
  
"Shit," he muttered. No matter how strong his feelings for Anna were, he would never be able to resist Summer Roberts. Even this tiny little bit of contact sent shivers down his spine, tingles down his legs, butterflies to his stomach, and blood rushing to his groin. He felt himself shift imperceptibly, and her warm breath blew across his face. He licked his lips, but he should have known that that was a mistake, because in doing so, his tongue touched Summer's lips. She gasped, and his heart beat faster, and if either one of them was going to initiate this kiss, now would be the time to do it...  
  
High-heeled shoes clicking across the concrete floor. Seth leapt backwards as if he had been burned, his breath ragged. Anna was coming, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Summer.  
  
"Fuck," she said under her breath. Calmly, she picked up her purse and slid out of the booth, nodding at Anna as she headed out the door. Anna watched her go.  
  
"You think she finally got the message?" she asked. Seth let out the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding.  
  
"Not likely," he responded. 


	4. Afternoon Epiphany

If You Can't Beat 'Em...(4/?: Afternoon Epiphany)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Summer scuffed the soles of her shoes against the pavement as she paced a short line up and down the Cooper's driveway. Her car was right there, but Summer was a firm believer that you should never drive under emotional duress - five speeding tickets and several near-accidents from her first few months with a license had proved that well. At this point, she was likely to run somebody over just for the hell of it.  
  
Coop had blown her off to go bang Chino. *Again*. Sure, she was happy they had finally gotten together, but since when had she been at the bottom of Marissa's priority list? Even when she had been with Luke, she had always made time for girls' night out, and sleepovers, and going tanning, and what was it about Chino that was so damn special anyway? Yeah, he was hot and all, but it wasn't like you could take him anywhere - he'd just end up punching people. He didn't even have any friends except for Cohen, and she wasn't even going to go into how pathetic *that* was...  
  
Except that there he was, when she glanced across the Cooper's backyard. In his pool, doing laps. Summer felt her heart thump in her chest and her throat constrict. She had never seen him without a shirt before. But as he pulled himself out of the pool, she was thinking she wouldn't mind seeing it some more. He was muscular in all the right places, without being ape-like. How could she have missed this before, in all the time she had known him? He grabbed a towel and began drying himself off. Summer felt her breath catch in her throat. Seriously - how had she never seen it before?  
  
He was beautiful.  
  
To the casual observer, he was nothing special - just another skinny emo kid in baggy jeans and novelty tees. But Summer was far from being a casual observer. Like it or not, she knew this boy inside and out. She knew his sweetness, his wit, his intelligence, his vulnerability, his honesty, his loyalty...she knew the touch of his lips and the strength of his embrace and the longing of his gazes, and that - that whole, Seth Cohen package - was beautiful.  
  
She *so* needed to get out of here. Looking down, Summer fumbled with trembling fingers through her purse, searching desperately for her car keys. Even breaking her emotional duress driving rule was worth it, rather than staying here and having the thoughts she had just been having. When her fingers finally closed around her pink plastic dice keychain, she yanked the keys out of her purse, prepared to send Seth only the briefest of glances before hopping in her car and getting the hell outta dodge. When she looked, up, however, she didn't see his body; she saw his eyes - eyes that met hers, caught, and held. But in a teasing way - a way that said that they would let go if she would.  
  
Yeah, that wasn't happening.  
  
Taking a shaky breath, Summer dropped her keys back in her purse and made her way over to the Cohen's, slipping through the gate to the pool just as Seth was pulling a T-shirt over his head, covering the bare chest she had been having so much fun ogling. Well, perhaps it was for the best - this way, maybe they would actually be able to have a coherent conversation.  
  
"Hey," she said softly. He gave her a broad grin, oblivious to the fact that she was still in the middle of an epiphany.  
  
"Hey, yourself," he returned. "Lemme guess - you went looking for Marissa, only to find that she snuck off for a little game of hide-the-sausage with Ryan." Summer raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hide the sausage?" she questioned. Seth shrugged, his grin only growing wider. "So...do you know where they are?" she asked. As if on cue, a low moan emanated from inside the poolhouse. Summer turned up her nose in disgust.  
  
"Wow," she said. "That's just...ewww." Seth, who had a similar expression on his face, nodded in agreement.  
  
"You can't really hear it when you're in the water," he said. "Here - why don't we go inside?" He flung the towel over his shoulder and led Summer up the walkway and through the front door, his hand at the small of her back. He hesitated a moment at the foot of the stairs, then took her up to his room. Summer lingered in the doorway as he disappeared into the closet, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Is Anna gonna be okay with my being up here?" she asked snidely, dropping her purse on a chair as she eyed the walls of his room, plastered with posters for bands she had never heard of.  
  
"Anna," he answered through the door, "doesn't need to know you're here."  
  
"Wow," Summer replied. "So trustworthy."  
  
"It's not like I'm doing anything wrong," Seth protested, emerging from the closet fully clothed. He threw his wet bathing suit into the hamper and flopped down on the bed, his gaze meeting hers.   
  
"Right?" he asked. She bit her lip, unsure of how to take the question.  
  
"Right," she answered, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed, her back facing him.  
  
Awkward silence number four...  
  
Seth knew he shouldn't have invited her in. He shouldn't have acknowledged her presence, and he *definitely* shouldn't have brought her up to his room. It wasn't even Anna, although that was a factor as well. They had been dating for a little over a month. That was supposed to mean something, right? At the very least, it meant that he wasn't supposed to be bringing Summer up into his bedroom just because Anna wasn't around at the moment. It meant that he shouldn't be fantasizing about her in his spare time. It meant he should be getting over her like he promised himself he was going to do.  
  
But it wasn't even that - he shouldn't have invited her up because he knew exactly what would happen if he did. Who was he kidding? What, were they going to sit up here and have a deep, philosophical conversation? Yeah, no. He doubted Summer even knew what the word 'philosophical' meant. Anna or no Anna, he didn't trust himself alone with Summer. Especially not now, with his parents gone and his adrenaline still high from his workout and her sitting on his bed in one of her skimpy little outfits, her tank top riding up to expose a tantalizing patch of smooth, tanned SummerSkin...  
  
Shit.  
  
As if of its own volition, Seth's hand rose from the bed to rest lightly on said exposed patch of skin, his thumb stroking back and forth. Summer flinched slightly at his touch, and she twisted around to give him a curious look. He studied her through his eyelashes, eyes darkening with desire. Summer opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. All of the sudden, however, the floodgates were opened, and she found her lips pressed against his as he surged forward, pulling her back onto the bed with him.  
  
They had never kissed quite like this before; their previous kisses had been brief and rushed, save for Thanksgiving. This, however, was like a whole new world. It wasn't playful - this was long and hot and slow and passionate in ways that Seth had only dreamed of. Even Summer, who had had more than her fair share of romantic relationships, had never felt emotions this real or this raw before. She felt like she was drowning. But if someone were to throw her a life preserver of some kind right now, she would have shrugged it aside, because she just wanted these sensations to go on forever. She had ended up on top of Seth, and his hands had slid up underneath her shirt, but he rolled her over now, his body weight pinning her to the bed. His mouth was gentle yet insistent, and his fingers roved up and down her body as if making sure she was really there; that she wasn't going to run scared. He needn't have worried, however, because Summer had absolutely no intention of moving from his embrace. For at least the next five years.  
  
As if on cue, the phone rang.  
  
Seth wrenched himself away from her lips, gasping, as he picked up the receiever, knowing full well exactly who it would be before he even answered. Their eyes met and held for a solid moment as he spoke.  
  
"Hey, Anna," he said. Summer began to squirm and push at him, so as he made small talk with his girlfriend, he rolled over to let her up. She smoothed her, straightened her clothes, and afforded him one last glance before picking up her purse and walking out of the room. Her feet brought her back to her car as fast as they could carry her in these damn high heels, and she had the keys in her hand, ready to take off, when Marissa ran out her front door.  
  
"Hey!" she said cheerily. "I was wondering why your car was here. My mom said you were over here asking for me, like, half an hour ago. Where have you been?"  
  
That was it. Not even an apology. Unbelievable. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was mussed, but so were Summer's, and Marissa's eyes flicked momentarily to the Cohen house before settling back on her best friend. Summer didn't know whether she suspected or not - these days, it was fairly easy to pull the wool over Marissa's eyes about anything. But the thing was, she didn't care. Marissa wasn't the same Marissa she had been when the pair had made their best friends pact in the sixth grade. Shaking her head, Summer laughed to herself.  
  
"I'll see you Monday," she said, not even bothering to give an answer. Marissa looked hurt, but Summer only caught a glimpse of her expression as she turned, climbing into the driver's seat of her little red Corvette and peeling out of the Cooper's driveway.  
  
As she sped down the highway, Summer rolled the windows down, letting the breeze sweep through her hair and dry away her tears. 


	5. My Precious

If You Can't Beat 'Em...(5/?: My Precious)  
Angelus angelus1317@hotmail.com  
See first chapter for disclaimer, etc.  
  
~*~  
  
Sometimes, Summer really hated being Marissa Cooper's best friend. Because wherever Coop went lately, Chino seemed to follow. And where Chino went, Cohen went, and where Cohen went, Tinkerbitch went. At least they had had some courtesy this time and invited Luke, so she'd have someone to talk to while everyone else was making out. How had she let Marissa talk her into going to the movies in the first place, she wondered? And how had they been persuaded to sit with Anna on her left and Marissa on the other side of Luke? The exes sitting smack dab in the middle of CouplesLand. It was a for-sure recipe for disaster if Summer had ever seen one.  
  
"How long is this movie anyway?" Luke whispered in her ear. Summer grimaced.  
  
"Too long," she replied. Since Palm Springs, she and Luke had established a tentative friendship. She did it out of a loyalty she rarely felt anymore, so that she could get him out of the others' hair. He did it out of the hopes of getting laid, even though Summer had made it abundantly clear that that was *never* going to happen. Even so, once you got to know him, he wasn't that bad of a guy, and Summer had known him forever. He had apologized profusely to Marissa, and she had accepted, and that part of their history had been officially declared over and done with. And now that it had, Summer genuinely liked hanging out with Luke. She liked seeing that a person could change so completely. It gave her hope.  
  
Summer glanced over to her right. The previews had barely started, and already Ryan and Marissa were going at it. She rolled her eyes. To her left, however, Anna simply had her head on Seth's shoulder. But even that was enough to make Summer's eyes narrow and her fists clench. She didn't know why she was bothering to get jealous. It wasn't like she and Cohen were together, or had ever been. He had made it expressly clear in the weeks since their last little encounter that *Anna* was his girlfriend; every time Summer looked, they were holding hands and making googly eyes at each other. It made her want to hurl.  
  
If there was one thing Summer had learned in life, however, it was to repress and deny. It was her strategy in dealing with her mom's death, her dad's drinking, her barely-legal stepmothers...but for some reason, the strategy never seemed to work when it came to Seth Cohen. Why was that? Why could she not just ignore him and Anna hanging all over each other and pretend like she had never gone and fallen for him in the first place?  
  
No. She didn't really wonder - she knew why. She just didn't want to admit it, to herself or to anyone else. But that didn't change the fact that it was still there, nagging at her, making her want to rip Anna's fingers off her body just so that she would stop touching Seth. With a put-out expression on her face, Summer sank back into her seat. When she felt said seat begin to vibrate from some over-eager child behind her kicking it, Summer spun around to give the little punk a death glare. She was *not* in the mood to be fucked with right now.  
  
"Knock it off or I crush your kneecaps," she warned him. The pre-teen, resplendent in the latest ghetto-fabulous junior high wear, complete with baggy pants, an oversized Dennis Rodman jersey, and several bling-blingy silver necklaces, grinned and gave her seat another kick. Summer's eyes narrowed. She felt Luke put a restraining hand on her arm, but she shook it off. "Look," she told the kid. "We're stuck with each other for the next hour and a half or so, and if you'd like to spend that time with working testicles, I'd suggest that you *stop kicking my seat*." Rodman laughed.  
  
"Hour and a half?" he repeated. "Honey, this movie is three and a half hours long." By the way Summer's eyebrows rose to her hairline, it was quite clear that this was the first she had heard of this. Rodman's grin just grew wider. Beside Summer, Luke saw her fists clench, her knuckled turning white, and decided to intervene.  
  
"Hey, kid, I'd listen to her if I were you," he warned. "She's not exaggerating. She'd rip your balls off without batting an eyelash." Rodman's cocky grin wavered as he looked back at Summer, who was shooting daggers at him with her eyes. "You ever heard of rage blackouts?" Luke added. Rodman shook his head. The pair of them must have looked quite intimidating, because the kid just clammed up and turned to talk to his friend beside him. Satisfied, Summer turned back around in her seat. She shot Luke a grateful look.  
  
"Thanks," she said. He shrugged.  
  
"Not that I wouldn't like to see the little shit castrated," he said. "But how about letting it out on Cohen instead of minors with parents that can sue?" Summer's eyes lit up, and Luke had to let out a chuckle. Only Summer Roberts could get that gleam in her eyes at the prospect of torturing someone. Truth be told, sometimes she scared Luke a little. As hot as she was, Cohen could have her. It amazed him that someone as weak as Seth was able to work Summer up so much by barely doing anything. Their relationship was a strange creature, and Luke had found - and been told, several times, by Ryan and Marissa - that more often than not, it was better to just let the dysfunctional pair sort things out themselves.  
  
Summer poked Seth in the arm. He turned, the look in his eyes a reflexive mixture of fear and apology. "Why the hell didn't you tell me that this movie is three and a half fucking hours long?" she fumed. Seth's mouth flapped open and closed as his brain searched for the answer that would get him in the least trouble.  
  
"It's 'Lord of the Rings', Summer," he began calmly. "We told you that when we invited you along. I guess I figured that you knew how long these things always are."  
  
"Well, sorry, I'm not a comic book geek, I don't know these things," she countered. Okay, so not quite the answer he had been looking for.  
  
"'Lord of the Rings' isn't a comic book," he said helpfully. Summer just glared. Luckily, at that moment, the light in the theater dimmed, and the movie began. Luke put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Too furious to care, Summer let him leave it there, settling in for three and a half hours of daydreaming of various ways to kill Seth. And Anna. And Ryan and Marissa. And the rest of the patrons in the theater, just for the hell of it.  
  
~*~  
  
Something was happening on-screen about Hobbits and a ring and a mountain. Summer really didn't care enough to try and figure out the plot. If she had come some other time, the movie would have been bearable - there were plenty of hot guys and gorgeous sets to keep her from being *completely* bored out of her mind. Tonight, however, she had barely noticed - she had spent the entire time watching Anna's hand caress Seth's kneecap, and his hand slide its way up her thigh. Luke had gotten sucked into the movie, so he hadn't even noticed that Summer wasn't watching. All of the sudden, the movie screen went dark and the house light came back up. Summer glanced down at her watch, and was shocked to find that only about two hours had passed.  
  
"Well," she said, gathering her purse and coat. "That was fun." The rest of the group were all looking at her uncomfortably. "What?" she asked. It was Anna who ventured to speak.  
  
"This is just the intermission," she said, her eyes sparkling. Summer knew the girl lived to make her look bad, but she didn't particularly care. "It's about ten minutes. The movie comes back on after that." Summer closed her eyes and counted to ten. Homicide would not improve the situation, she told herself.  
  
"I'm going to go get something to drink," she announced, once she had calmed herself somewhat. "Luke?" Without waiting for a response, she shoved her way passed Seth and Anna and walked up the aisle towards the concession stand outside. The bright lights and colors bombarded her, and were definitely not helping to calm her frazzled nerves. She chose the shortest line, and moved in behind the large-bottomed woman who was fourth. When she reached the counter, she ordered a cherry slushee from the young, acne-riddled cashier. She hadn't had one since she was, like, six, but she was dying for one right now. She was pulling her wallet out of her purse when she heard a male voice behind her say:  
  
"Make that two, please." Damn. Summer whirled around to find Seth standing beside her.  
  
"Where the hell is Luke?" she asked.  
  
"Listening to Anna explain the plot of the first two movies," he said. "I think we've brought him over to the dark side." Summer rolled her eyes.  
  
"Great," she muttered. "Just what I need - another comic book geek." Seth shook his head ruefully.  
  
"You break my heart every time I hear you call it a comic book," he said. Summer gave him one of her patented 'Whatever' looks, musing on his ironic choice of words. He was the one who had broken her heart, and continued to do so just by standing there. She knew she hid her emotions well, but was he really *that* oblivious when it came to women? They stood in silence as they waited for their drinks. After they had paid and were on their way back to the theater, Seth murmured a quiet  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Right." She kept walking, her eyes straight ahead of her, but Seth caught her by the elbow, almost knocking her drink to the ground as he spun her around to face him.   
  
"Look, I'm serious," he insisted. Summer peered at him.  
  
"Okay, I'm biting," she said. "You're sorry for what? For dragging me to this movie? For not choosing me? For playing head games with me? Or for just being the miserable excuse for a human being that you are?" Seth hung his head.  
  
"Allright, I deserved that," he admitted. Summer snorted.  
  
"Damn right you did," she agreed. Her hand was getting cold from holding her drink, and the sticky red liquid was leaking out from underneath the plastic lid and dripping onto her hand. She considered licking it off, but as she was about to raise it to her lips, she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Seth do the same thing. And damn, looking at his tongue was the very  
last thing she needed to be doing right now. But when her eyes met his, it was clear that she wasn't the only one having the very wrong thoughts she was having.  
  
Behind them, an usher cleared her throat. "Umm, we're going to be closing the door," she informed the pair. "If you don't come into the theater, you won't be able to get back in until after the movie is over." They regarded one another silently for a moment, before Summer took charge and flounced into the darkened theater, Seth following close at her heels. Once inside, the doors closed behind them as promised. Summer made her way down the aisle towards their seats. Seth was following, head down, when all of the sudden she halted abruptly, sending him crashing into her.  
  
"What's the hold-up?" he asked, only to be shushed by a blue-haired grandma in the next row. He gave her only the briefest of apologetic glances, choosing instead to focus his attention on Summer as she turned slowly around. Her eyes were huge and dark, her lips parted slightly. Seth groaned inwardly. She was trouble with a capital 'T'. But somehow, that just made her even more appealing. Taking her elbow, he led her back a few rows to the farthest, darkest corner. The surrounding rows were empty, because it was universally known what the back row of a movie theater was for, and no one else cared to see that. Seth set his drink in the cupholder, took Summer's from her hand and set it in the next one down. Then he reached for her hand, pulling her forward. He half-expected her to just backhand him, but she let him tug, and fell into his lap without complaint.  
  
Their lips met instantaneously, kisses long and warm and wet. Seth's hands caressed her backside, while she drew her fingernails across his stomach under his shirt, making him quiver and jerk her forward roughly. His hands got more adventurous, reaching up to cup her breast and pinch her nipple between his fingers. She gasped involuntarily, then buried her mouth in his shoulder to stop herself from making anymore sounds - the last thing she wanted right now was for security to come and kick the horny teenagers out. But really, she wanted to sing and shout. That was how good he made her feel - like she had to tell the whole world. Only, she couldn't. Because of Anna. Truth be told, she didn't really care about her peers at school. Summer had always had a 'screw-you' attitude when it came to others. She could deal with the barbs that would get slung at her if she strolled up the front steps hand-in-hand with Seth Cohen. Big deal. But having people accuse her of stealing someone else's boyfriend? No. Summer had morals. Maybe not the highest ones, but she was from Newport after all. That was one thing that had always set Marissa and herself apart from Holly and the others - they weren't into hurting and humiliating people just for kicks. That was why they had become such good friends. They didn't believe in the Harbor politics of 'want, take, have'. The defining moment of their friendship had been when Summer had turned down Luke in the sixth grade because Marissa had seen him first. Fair was fair, after all.  
  
So what the hell was she doing now? She may not have stolen Seth away, but this wasn't much better - clandestine kisses in the dark thirty feet away from his girlfriend, then playing nice with her the next day. It was very un-Summer-like. But maybe that was because in the past, she had never had so much at stake. Seth Cohen was a good guy. There weren't many of those around anymore. But more than that, he made her feel more than she'd ever felt for anyone before. She found herself smiling as soon as he walked in the room, her stomach flip-flopping when he smiled back, her mouth watering remembering the taste of his kisses. She wasn't particularly happy with the way she had handled the situation between him, Anna, and herself - she didn't really want to turn into a typical Harbor Newpsie. But just the feel of his body pressed against hers made it all worthwhile.  
  
If you can't beat 'em...  
  
His hand was creeping up her thigh, and his mouth was working steadily at her collarbone. Summer's blood rushed in all different directions, making it feel like she was in a sauna instead of a movie theater. She scooted closer, rocking her pelvis against hers. Surprised, Seth accidentally bit down on the skin of her neck. Summer jerked away, but too far, because she began to fall backwards. Seth grabbed her arm and hauled her back against him. He stopped her from tumbling out his lap, but as she fell forwards, her hand hit her cup and sent it toppling onto the floor, slushee and all. The drink pooled out beneath the seats, a hunk of rapidly-melting red slush sliding down towards the front of the theater. In the dark, Summer mused, it almost looked like blood, as it dripped off of the back of the seats in front of them where it had splashed. She shot Seth a look, and found that he, too, was on the verge of laughter. Upon their eyes meeting, which he seemed to take as permission, they began to laugh. They got steadily louder, until the same little old lady from before shushed them again. Still grinning, Summer leaned forward, breathing in the spicy scent of the cologne Seth had borrowed from Ryan as she twined her arms around his neck. He slid a hand under her shirt and ran his fingers lightly across the bare skin he found there, tracing the line of her spinal cord. Summer spread her legs a little further apart, sinking down into a much more relaxed position. This was...nice. They didn't do this very often. In the past, she probably never would have let him. And now...  
  
Now, she still shouldn't be letting him. Making out and a little groping on the side - those she could shrug off. But this - tenderness - that was a little harder for her to justify to herself. She didn't want to be feeling this. Because it would make it so much harder when they had to let go.  
  
Silently, Summer slid off of Seth's lap and into the seat beside him. He turned to look at her, obviously not phased by what had just passed between them. He reached out a hand to cup her chin, smiling gently. Summer sucked in a shaky breath. His eyes were so wide and trusting and he was just looking at her as if she were something special; something precious and that much emotion was...well, it was scary. He moved his hand to her neck.  
  
"You might wanna cover that up," he murmured with a wicked smirk and a twinkle in his eye. Summer furrowed her brow, then dug into her purse and retrieved a compact. She flipped it open to reveal a gigantic, purplish hickey front and center. She gasped.  
  
"Cohen!" she hissed indignantly, punching him in the arm.   
  
"Ow!" he replied. "Come on - you love it." And there was that look again. Summer was really beginning to hate that look. She tried to ignore him as she pulled out her tube of concealer from her purse and liberally applied it to her neck. He didn't make it easy, though - he kissed her shoulder and held her hand and gave her those goddamn puppy-dog eyes. When she thought she had sufficiently hidden the evidence of their tryst, Summer turned to face Seth, her face serious.  
  
"This has got to stop," she said. He took a deep breath.  
  
"I know," he agreed. They shared a look before he leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't an agreement or a disagreement, it was just a kiss. It would have been so much easier had he just agreed, because Summer had a feeling that that kiss would be her downfall. They rose at the same time and proceeded down the aisle, Summer leading as always, Seth hovering close behind. They squeezed past legs and people and dropped into their seats without a word. Home free; neutral territory. Anna leaned over to her boyfriend.  
  
"Long lines?" she whispered. Seth only nodded, viciously stabbing his nearly-melted drink with a straw. He sucked it down, hoping the artificial cherry sweetness would erase the even sweeter taste of Summer's watermelon lipgloss from his mouth before he had to give Anna her requisite goodnight kiss. 


End file.
